The measurement of a urinary flow rate is the simplest and widely used investigation in the assessment of voiding dysfunction. The urinary flow rate provides important and useful information about whether a problem exists in a patient's lower urinary tract. Additionally, the measurement of urinary flow rate may indicate the degree and possible etiology of an ongoing bladder pathology.
A uroflowmeter is a well-known device for measuring the rate of urine flow. Uroflowmeters that are commonly used today operate using one of three well-known methods: (1) a rotating disk method, (2) an electronic dipstick method, or (3) a gravimetric method. With the rotating disk method, voided fluid is directed onto a rotating disk and the amount landing on the disk produces a proportionate increase in its inertia. The power required to keep the disk rotating at a constant rate is measured, allowing calculation of the flow rate of fluid. In the electronic dipstick method, a dipstick is mounted in a collecting chamber and as urine accumulates the electrical capacitance of the dipstick changes, allowing calculation of the rate of fluid accumulation and hence the flow rate. With the gravimetric method, the weight of collected fluid or the hydrostatic pressure at the base of collecting cylinder is measured.
These uroflowmeters require that the user direct his/her urine stream into a device and, thus, today's uroflowmeters can be uncomfortable, messy, and difficult for the patient to use. Furthermore, the use of uroflowmeters in hospitals and doctor's offices poses a risk to medical personnel of contacting urine excrements. Additionally, collecting data using today's commercially available portable uroflowmeters is still unpractical, available only to a limited number of patients producing only limited number of measurements.
For these reasons, a need exists for improved systems for and methods of assessing urinary flow rate, in order to provide mechanisms for measuring urinary flow rate that are portable, convenient, easy to use in a non-stressful and risk-free environment and able to be used for mass examinations.